Due to high levels of impurities found in many domestic water supplies, a substantial number of households prefer not to use their domestic water supplies as a source of drinking water, when making ice, or when making coffee or the like. As a consequence, such households frequently purchase bottled water for such uses. While there are numerous devices for dispensing bottled water for drinking purposes, it is considerably more difficult to supply bottled water to the ice maker or chilled water dispenser of a refrigerator. Typically, a water supply line for a refrigerator is connected directly to the domestic water supply, perhaps with a filter installed therebetween. Thus, if bottled water is to be supplied to a refrigerator, it must be supplied under pressure comparable to that of the domestic water supply system.
Devices for supplying bottled water under pressure to a refrigerator are disclosed in Barto et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,969,909 and 4,027,499. Both of these devices employ a water reservoir that is placed on top of the refrigerator. A water bottle is placed nearby and water is pumped from the bottle into the reservoir. Once water has been pumped into the reservoir, the pump is reconfigured to pump water from the reservoir into the water supply line of the refrigerator and to maintain the supply line at a pressure comparable to the pressure of the domestic water supply.
As mentioned above, the devices disclosed by Barto et al. involve placement of a large water reservoir on top of the refrigerator. When full, this reservoir presents certain hazards as a result of the weight and volume of water thus stored. Should the reservoir develop a leak, water damage to the surrounding area may result. Worse yet, should the reservoir be dislodged, such as by an earthquake, serious injury could result. Such hazards can be mitigated by reducing the volume of water stored in the reservoir, however, this would require that the water in the reservoir be replenished more frequently.
The present invention provides an improved bottled water supply system for refrigerators and other appliances that overcomes these disadvantages of the prior art systems. The features and advantages of the present invention include, for example, the ability to place the device so that, if desired, it is hidden from view. The present invention does not require that there be space between the top of the refrigerator and a cabinet installed thereabove. In this regard, the present invention may be easily used with any type of refrigerator, including those which are "built-in" to the surrounding cabinetry. The present invention also offers advantages over conventional, nonpressurized water dispensing devices since it is not necessary to lift a full bottle of water when replacing the bottle. This not only reduces the physical stress placed on the owner, but also prevents spillage that frequently accompanies the replacement of a water bottle in a conventional cooler or dispenser.